I enjoyed the concept of the book since it’s not a typical fantasy story with fairies or dragons. Unfortunately the writing style is so young even though the characters are seniors in high school (which you’re reminded about often). This book is definitely meant for young readers (14 max). I wish the writing was more mature to match the age of the characters and give the story some more depth.

Woven From Clay
Jennifer Birch
3.5 stars rounded up to 4

This story follows Terra, a high school senior as she navigates being a teen and a Golem. Can she prove she can control her magic?

This is well written and I love that it has Golems in it. It is written for the younger side of the YA spectrum.

Terra Slater has always known that she was adopted. This fact, however, does not make her unique in her hometown. Many children in her town were adopted and a grandfatherly lawyer, Cyrus Quill, was the one who brought these children together with their adoptive parents. Just before the first day of school, Terra has an unpleasant, and confusing, encounter with a boy who she then has to take around the school in her role as student ambassador. What Terra soon learns is that this new student, Thorne Wilder, is not just another teen. He's a magical bounty hunter who is looking for Cyrus Quill because he has been sentenced to death for creating golems. Terra learns that she is a golem and the only way to save Mr. Quill, and all of the golems children he created, Terra must prove to the magical court that she is worthy of life and can control her own magic. Terra soon learns that magic and love are the most important tools anyone can possess.

Jennifer Birch weaves an enchanting tale of magic, identity, and resilience in Woven From Clay. Terra’s journey from an ordinary high school senior to a girl grappling with the shocking revelation of her golem origins is both thrilling and deeply emotional. The stakes are high as she fights to save herself and her fellow golems, all while navigating the complex world of witches and magic. Thorne’s brooding presence and their growing bond add layers of tension and warmth, making their alliance a compelling centerpiece. With vivid world-building and a protagonist who learns to embrace both her magic and humanity, Woven From Clay is a heartfelt and captivating read that lingers long after the final page.

Romantasy at it's best - Earth magic, witches, new love, the strength of friendship and found family all weave a tapestry around what is life, and the power of truth and lies. Good versus evil takes on new form as beliefs are challenged, torn apart, and built anew, stronger than before. Inspiring and magical, a real treat!

I really enjoyed this book!! The world building is unique. The romance is gradual and grounded in the best way. This is a phenomenal ya book that I am sure my daughter will love after its publication.

This book features:
🤎 Opposites attract
🤎 Golems in the modern world
🤎 Hidden magical society
🤎 Community of adoptive families
🤎 Magic as threads
🤎 All the mud all the time
🤎 Sweet no spice romance
🤎 Refreshing take on an underused mythology

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. This review is voluntarily written and the thoughts and opinions contained in this review are my own.

Title: Woven From Clay by Jennifer Birch
Genre: YA Fantasy
Pub Date: August 12, 2025

✨️ Coming of Age
✨️ Golems & Witches
✨️ High-School Drama
✨️ Enemies to "Lovers"

Woven from Clay is a super cute YA fantasy that’ll tug at your heartstrings. Terra, our golem heroine, has to deal with the usual high school drama *and* the fact that she’s a freaking golem!

The slow-burn romance between her and Thorne is adorable, and the author does a great job of exploring themes of identity and self acceptance. If you love a good enemies-to-lovers trope, underdog heroine and a bit of magic, this book is for you!

Thank you, Wednesday Books and NetGalley, for the digital review copy!

I went into Woven From Clay not knowing what to expect, and wow—it completely floored me. It’s such a perfect blend of magic, mystery, and self-discovery that I couldn’t put it down. Even now, I’m still thinking about it.

The story centers on Terra Slater, who’s just trying to make it through her senior year like any other high school kid. Then of course! Thorne Wilder shows up and he is broody, secretive, and carrying the kind of news that flips Terra’s entire world upside down. Turns out, she’s not human. She’s a golem, made of clay and magic by a fugitive warlock named Cyrus Quill. Oh, and here’s the kicker: if Quill dies, so does she… along with all the other golems he created. No pressure, right?

what really made this book hit so hard was Terra’s emotional journey. Her struggle with identity, trying to reconcile what she is with who she wants to be, felt so raw and, honestly, painfully relatable. That deep need to belong, to feel like you’re enough, is something I think we all wrestle with at some point. Watching Terra go from feeling lost and unsure to fully embracing her power?

And where do I even begin with Thorne?!?! His dynamic with Terra is everything. Their slow-burn romance is so full of tension and respect and that push-pull energy that keeps you hanging on every interaction. It’s the kind of chemistry you want to root for with your whole heart. Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded a few chapters from Thorne’s POV, especially toward the end—just to see things through his eyes—but that’s probably just me being greedy.

The magic in this book is gorgeous. The way Terra manipulates magic, weaving it like threads into something tangible, felt so vivid and alive. And the world-building? It’s spot-on. Birch gives you just enough to immerse you without overwhelming you with info dumps. The concept of golems, magical bounty hunters, and covens feels so fresh and original—it’s like stepping into a world you’ve never seen before, but it still makes sense.

The ending ties things up well but leaves just enough room for a sequel, (Please, please let there be a sequel!!) . I need more of Terra’s story, and Jennifer Birch is now officially on my list of authors to watch.

If you’re into slow-burn romance, unique magic systems, and stories that hit you in the feels, Woven From Clay absolutely deserves a spot on your TBR. It’s the kind of book that keeps you reading way past your bedtime, and I already know I’ll be rereading it when it officially releases on August 12, 2025.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Wednesday Books, and Jennifer Birch for letting me read this early. I’m so grateful for the chance to experience this beautiful story.

This is clearly for a younger audience — the writing was great, filled with lots of mystery and there’s tension throughout the story. I enjoyed this one quite a bit!

Woven From Clay is the story of a teenage girl who thought she was like everyone else, but finds out that she is a golem, made from mud and bone. In a town that has an inordinate amount of children who were adopted, Terra feels out of sync. She wonders where she came from and why she doesn't totally belong. When Thorne, a member of the Hunter's Guild of Witches arrives in town, everything Terra knew is turned on its end. The rest of the story is about overcoming prejudice, finding one's place in the world, and navigating teenage angst in high school. This appears to be a stand alone book with a happy ending. It is perfect for middle school readers on up. The story is engaging and easy to read.

I received an advance reader copy for free. All opinions are my own.

Woven From Clay is a fantastic story about a golem and a witch. I absolutely loved it. It is such a unique story that had me captivated from the start. The relationship between Terra and Thorne is fantastic with tension, mystery, and gradually... love. I went into this knowing nothing of the story and it was such a pleasant surprise. The magic system is awesome and the golem's magic is so cool. Man, I just loved this so much. I hope the author will write more about Terra and Thorne's journey, there is so much more to tell. I highly recommend this one.

Delightfully complex tale about a mostly overlooked mystical creature, the Golem. The story does a wonderful job of explaining the creation of Golems and where they fit into the magical realm. The author breathed such life and depth into the Golems in this story. While mostly an enthralling journey of self-discovery for Terra, the story also chronicles the power struggle of the witches in the Guild. This story is an exciting and magical tale of the Golem's place in our world; it is also a poignant story of finding one's true self, finding the good in others, and how we connect to those around us. My only reservation is that the ending was a little "Hallmark happy' for me - not a bad ending, just surprisingly pleasant.

This book was a treat, and I cannot wait for you all to dive into it as well. I loved this unusual and imaginative concept for a book. Almost every mythological creature has been covered in books, but I've never encountered a golem. Although I enjoyed the world-building and character development, I had difficulty connecting with the romance.

My sincere thanks go out to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and the author for letting me review this book.

the themes of adoption were strong. but i didn't really buy the characters, especially Thorne, and i felt like the villains were way too cartoonishly blatant about it. not even just in the maniacal sort of way, but in the straight-up saturday morning cartoon villain way. 3.5 stars, rounded up

Such an imaginative and unusual idea for a book! I feel like I've read books about pretty much every mythological creature, but I've never read one involving golem before. This felt like quintessential YA, with our FMC, Terra, dealing with petty high school drama while also navigating this hidden world and town secrets she's stumbled into. I enjoyed the storyline and the world, but it was hard for me to get behind the romance. She's literally made from mud...and Thorne is into her? BUT SHE'S MADE OF MUD. I don't know why I can't get onboard with it because there are weirder romance storylines, but I think I would have like this more if she just rode off into the sunset saving the day, without "getting the guy" too. Thanks Netgalley for the e-ARC!

An excellent contemporary fantasy.
We follow Terra who just wants the best senior year ever....but that plan gets derailed when she finds out she's not human but a being called a golem. And she was created by a rogue warlock who is on the run. Enter the mysterious stranger Thorne. Together they must unravel her magic, save the day and try and deny the feelings they may have for each other.
I loved the unique magic system, the slow burn romance, and the character developments. The world building was ok and easy to follow. This book was a treat and I can't wait for you all to read it.

I was excited about the golem element in this contemporary fantasy because I so rarely see them, and when I do they aren't the main character. I loved the premise of a golem having to learn the magic used to create her to save herself from a bounty hunter. However, I think the execution just simply wasn't what I expected. The mix of fantasy and contemporary didn't quite mesh well for me. The book had a greater contemporary and high school focus than I expected since I wanted more fantasy elements, I can see the appeal for readers who like the mix of high school drama, the struggle to fit in in that environment, and the trope of high school girl discovering she is magically special.

This is was not at all what I thought this book was going to be about. Thought it was going to be a more fantasy forward story about a golum girl. Was so hyped until it literally turned into a contemporary book about a high school girl who discovers she is "special" very much reminds me of shadow hunters and I don't vibe well with those stories. People on tumbler might like this one I however did not.

I've read some great reimaginings of golem mythology, such as Wrath Becomes Her by Aden Polydoros and This Dark Descent duology by Kalyn Josephson; it has even driven a deeper want to learn more about golems (And Jewish mythology, by extension). This book did heighten that curiosity, but not in a good way, unfortunately.

I'll be plain and say this book was just so boring. There was so much unnecessary juvenile drama that didn't do anything to make the characters go beyond their one-dimensional personalities. The whole thing with Brick (Yes, that's the name of Terra's non-love interest) was exhausting to read about, and the fact Terra actively choose not to tell him the truth of their relationship (Or any one of the other side characters with an obvious, and incredibly stupid, earth related names) annoyed me so damn much. On top of that, I hated Thorne because, at first, he was a creepy stalker, then for his terrible communication and habit of ghosting Terra for days until randomly showing up when the plot needed him, too. The villains were so cartoonishly evil, and I barely registered them as a valid threat. The story tried really hard to "redeem" or explain some behaviors to make them seem more complex, but it just didn't work.

The worldbuilding with the witches and the guild juxtaposed terrible with the contemporary setting. Forgive the metaphor, but the story felt like it was smashing two different color clays together to make a prettier one, only for it to turn out drabber than what you expected. Plus, the witch lore wasn't that much interesting, and I thought the use of food and sleep to be the method of replenishing magic to be so basic and boring; it got weirdly childish at times, too.

The only parts of the story I thought were somewhat interesting were when the themes of adoption were explored. Terra shares a lot of feelings regarding the loneliness adoptees have, and the using golems as a metaphor could have worked if this was written better. I did see that Birch herself was an adoptee, and I see how personal this was for her, but everything else around it really bogged down the message, in my opinion.

All in all, this wasn't for me, and I'm sad because I wanted to read more good books with golems in it. Guess I'll be looking elsewhere.

I had no expectations for this novel except that there would be some magical realism and a romance tangled in the mix of that. I was not disappointed, though I would have enjoyed seeing more of the functionalities of the world of wizards (book two potential?). It seemed very low key; however, the world-building was developed. I appreciated the dichotomies between the two main characters, as well, Terra struggling to maintain her mundanity and Thorne encapsulated in the traditions of executing coven law. What really works well with this novel, though, is Terra's internal struggle with belonging. There are so many layers to unpack: her being adopted, then the discovery of her true origins of literal mud from a flowerbed, and then the subsequent magical world this realization unlocks. The discrimination Terra faces from other witches because of her "muddy" composition is far too realistic to our real-world discrimination of minorities. This was an interesting way to use magical realism to touch on this difficult subject.

In terms of the romance that sparks between Terra and Thorne, it was a well-developed slow burn, albeit a very PG one. However, I would read more of Jennifer Birch's young adult work. The action throughout the novel kept the plot moving and the pages turning.